Marneus Calgar (Marvel Comics)

[Knockagh]

Marneus Calgar Is the subject of the first tie in marvel/GW comic. It will focus on his origins. Which is definitely giving the new title some weight allowing it to deal with some pretty key lore stuff. I’m a little surprised at that to be honest.

Kieron Gillen The writer claims to be a fan of GW for decades and a player since rogue trader. I don’t think I’ve read anything by him but I could have. The artist Jacen Burrows did Punisher, Soviet which I have and it was absolutely superb. Due out October. Fingers crossed this is better than GW comics to date.

[DarkChaplain]

His Star Wars comics were decent enough, although I felt that Doctor Aphra overstayed her welcome by a couple of years now, and his Darth Vader series (2015, not Dark Lord of the Sith) had way too many derivative aspects. Still, he's not a bad choice, and I think at least Aphra's overstay is down to her quick rise to popularity getting his commission extended, rather than the quality of his writing.

 

I wonder if we'll see references to the Calgar novels, or his role in Dark Imperium

[cheywood]

Gillen’s both a highly regarded comics writer (his recent creator-owned work has been especially well-received by the comics community at large) and a huge fan of Warhammer (posts a lot of pictures of his armies and ran a blog with a lot of Warhammer think pieces). I believe he wrote a WFB comic a few decades ago, but this is his first official 40k work. I’d say he’s probably the best choice to start this whole thing off. Abnett would’ve been good too of course, but I think he’s a much better writer of prose than of comics.

[b1soul]

Yeah, I enjoy Abnett and ADB's novels a lot more than their comics, but I don't think it's because they're just worse at writing comics.

 

If the comic isn't a long-running series with an R-rating (talking at least 20 or more issues developing a major arc), I think the format really ties the hands of the writer. The best comics I've read followed a small number of main characters across well over 50 issues.

 

The typical four or six-issue tie-in miniseries offers measly room to explore themes, develop characters, and engage a reader. If you read it all at once, it barely takes an hour.

[cheywood]

Yeah, I enjoy Abnett and ADB's novels a lot more than their comics, but I don't think it's because they're just worse at writing comics.

 

If the comic isn't a long-running series with an R-rating (talking at least 20 or more issues developing a major arc), I think the format really ties the hands of the writer. The best comics I've read followed a small number of main characters across well over 50 issues.

 

The typical four or six-issue tie-in miniseries offers measly room to explore themes, develop characters, and engage a reader. If you read it all at once, it barely takes an hour.

I enjoy long runs as much as the next guy, but there are plenty of mini or maxi series filled with strong themes and meaningful character development. Iron Man Extremis did more for Iron Man in six issues than all his subsequent comics combined have accomplished, and Watchmen altered the entire landscape of English language comics in 12 issues.

[Knockagh]

I looked up Kieron Gillens books and I have read a few. I loved that 2015 Vader run in particular but nothing else I would gush about.

His Wikipedia page has the Calgar series as a 6 book mini series. Yes, that’s far to short for anything other than a shootem up. I’ve preordered it anyway see where it goes.

It’s a bold move for GW, marvel have been good at moving from comics to screen and I’m sure that’s the GW plan, what with Eisenhorn the books angel show and all the other ideas floating about.

[b1soul]

Regarding great comics spanning a few issues, I think those are just rare. It ties the hands of the writer (though some writers are so good they escape their bonds) and as I said, the typical miniseries, especially a tie-in, tends to suffer due to that and what I suspect are top-down directives from the corporate IP owner.

 

The BOOM! comics from over a decade ago and the more recent Titan stuff are quite mediocre IMO. Didn't really engage my intellect or emotions as an adult reader.

[Kelborn]

Wasted potential with them choosing Malgar, imho.

 

Not at all interested - at least in that issue.

[cheywood]

Regarding great comics spanning a few issues, I think those are just rare. It ties the hands of the writer (though some writers are so good they escape their bonds) and as I said, the typical miniseries, especially a tie-in, tends to suffer due to that and what I suspect are top-down directives from the corporate IP owner.

 

The BOOM! comics from over a decade ago and the more recent Titan stuff are quite mediocre IMO. Didn't really engage my intellect or emotions as an adult reader.

I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree then. For me it’s like movies vs TV shows or trilogies vs long running book series. The demands they make of their creators and the way they engage audiences are different, but neither is inherently superior to the other. Edited August 3, 2020 by cheywood

[mc warhammer]

i'll take a mini series with a thought out beginning-middle-end like watchmen over a long running soap ala x-men any day.

 

on topic, calgar doesn't interest me...but if the buzz is good, i'll pick up the first issue.

[Roomsky]

I'm a bit disappointed it's another mini, less as a knock against the format or Gillen, but more that even some of my favourite authors have floundered with so short a run. I was hoping with one of the big two picking it up we might get a proper ongoing. I would kill for Zdarsky, Hickman, Ewing, etc. to be given a proper multi-arc story to tell from any corner of the 40K universe.

 

That said, I'll probably still check it out. I don't hate Gillen and the Crossed artist is appropriately British in style.

[b1soul]

Frankly, I'd be down for a comic series along the lines of Dawn of Fire.

[Sandlemad]

Kieron Gillen did an interview for CBR about the comic: https://www.cbr.com/warhammer-40k-kieron-gillen-explains-the-grim-dark-future-of-marneus-calgar/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=40k&utm_content=40kcomic05Aug20

 

Frankly a lot of the interview is Gillen explaining the fundamentals of 40k but there's some interesting stuff there and previews of some linework.

[Knockagh]

https://www.cbr.com/warhammer-why-ultramarines-stars-marvels-40k-series/

 

He also did this interview. They are definitely trying to promote it in the comic book world. Im not sure what’s happening at the moment in the world of distributors but before the plague you could get comic book distribution figures from diamond. It would be great if we could see these for the 40k books. I did hear that their had been a monumental fallout between DC and diamond not sure how that will effect marvel.

[Marshal Rohr]

I think it’s weird they’d pick an antagonist faction that doesn’t have a Codex or models.

[b1soul]

That cover is unfortunate. Feels like they're targeting kids, which I guess is good for business. But I hope the actual story and interior art are less juvenile

[Roomsky]

That cover is unfortunate. Feels like they're targeting kids, which I guess is good for business. But I hope the actual story and interior art are less juvenile

 

If the guy delivers even a fraction of what he does in Crossed, you won't have much to worry about there.

[N1SB]

Humble reminder Gillen wrote this:

So it's an alternate history where Nazi Germany managed to do what Hitler always dreamed of, actual superhumans. The most significant part was he wrote it more in the style of a documentary instead of a typical cape comic. The difference is, you know how you read the actual Forgeworld Horus Heresy books and it's like reading a historian's work rather than a novel? It's kinda like that, which I quite liked.

The funniest part is this: the comic has these great battle scenes with superheroes in the trenches, but my personal favourite scene involved Winston Churchill opening a drawer, looking down at it and saying a few words, then closing the drawer. It was a very nuanced moment. I look forward to what he does with Marneus Calgar.

Regarding the artwork, I'm 100% with Brother Roomsky.

They're showing a lot of Primaris. I think it's fine, but that's not the type of thing the artist Jacen Burrows is known for. The 1st time I saw his work was in those Crossed comics, which were very interesting but also extremely uncomfortable. He did some other stuff but it was when he teamed up with Alan Moore for Providence, a comic based on HP Lovecraft's stories. There was some serious eldritch abomination grotesque glamour in his artwork.

It's Chaos that I think he'll excel at, and Gillen just suggested that's more the focus of his mini-series.

In case you're interested in Providence, and this is a minor spoiler but I think it's necessary because I didn't understand the 1st few months of this comic when it came out because I had no idea this was always in the background, but I'll say this in case you want to see Alan Moore's expanding on Lovecraft with this artist:

So you think the worst thing that could happen is having your sanity melted by an eldritch abomination while it digests your still living body? This comic makes a case that, no, the most terrifying thing in the world is being a homosexual male in 1920s New England. They had to speak in code in public, like they'd give each other's partners female codenames, "How's Meredith? Is SHE still dropping HER hairpins all over the place?" It's brilliant stuff and I remember this artist really liked to draw architecture, interior design and...basically the Warp. It's Lovecraft so it wasn't called that, but it's like a dimension beyond the stars.

[mc warhammer]

Uber is suitably grimdark and unafraid to kill its darlings

[Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla]

Humble reminder Gillen wrote this:

So it's an alternate history where Nazi Germany managed to do what Hitler always dreamed of, actual superhumans. The most significant part was he wrote it more in the style of a documentary instead of a typical cape comic. The difference is, you know how you read the actual Forgeworld Horus Heresy books and it's like reading a historian's work rather than a novel? It's kinda like that, which I quite liked.

The funniest part is this: the comic has these great battle scenes with superheroes in the trenches, but my personal favourite scene involved Winston Churchill opening a drawer, looking down at it and saying a few words, then closing the drawer. It was a very nuanced moment. I look forward to what he does with Marneus Calgar.

Regarding the artwork, I'm 100% with Brother Roomsky.

They're showing a lot of Primaris. I think it's fine, but that's not the type of thing the artist Jacen Burrows is known for. The 1st time I saw his work was in those Crossed comics, which were very interesting but also extremely uncomfortable. He did some other stuff but it was when he teamed up with Alan Moore for Providence, a comic based on HP Lovecraft's stories. There was some serious eldritch abomination grotesque glamour in his artwork.

It's Chaos that I think he'll excel at, and Gillen just suggested that's more the focus of his mini-series.

In case you're interested in Providence, and this is a minor spoiler but I think it's necessary because I didn't understand the 1st few months of this comic when it came out because I had no idea this was always in the background, but I'll say this in case you want to see Alan Moore's expanding on Lovecraft with this artist:

I think Uber is not a great recomendation. Sure, it's gore and the Germans are not just connon fodder for Our Boys, but Gillen's vision of WWII and its atrocities, how killing people was perceived, especially on the eastern front, is ignorant at best and childish at worst. He completely failed to grasp the "moral side" of the conflict and it's painfully clear that his whole idea of the war does not go beyond Saving Private Ryan. I hope he does better in the Calgar book

So you think the worst thing that could happen is having your sanity melted by an eldritch abomination while it digests your still living body? This comic makes a case that, no, the most terrifying thing in the world is being a homosexual male in 1920s New England. They had to speak in code in public, like they'd give each other's partners female codenames, "How's Meredith? Is SHE still dropping HER hairpins all over the place?" It's brilliant stuff and I remember this artist really liked to draw architecture, interior design and...basically the Warp. It's Lovecraft so it wasn't called that, but it's like a dimension beyond the stars.

Ah, yes. Alan Moore and his fixation on gays in UK. The guy who genuinely belived Thatcher was going to exterminate the LGBT people in concentration camps

Edited August 7, 2020 by Ayatollah_of_Rock_n_Rolla

[DarkChaplain]

I didn't personally care for that meta-narrative angle in Providence either. I came for the cosmic horror, not preaching to the choir on socio-political issues, so to say.

[b1soul]

I just hope GW and Marvel haven't instructed him to appeal to a younger audience, but understand if that is the directive (it's a sounds business decision)

 

I look at this cover and it feels like something designed to attract the attention of the typical boy in fifth grade

 

[Knockagh]

Marvel usually commission a number of variant covers for new runs. There’s one announced already. It might be more to your liking.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/graphicpolicy.com/2020/07/22/games-workshop-delivers-a-variant-cover-for-warhammer-40000-marneus-calgar-1/amp/

[mc warhammer]

I just hope GW and Marvel haven't instructed him to appeal to a younger audience, but understand if that is the directive (it's a sounds business decision)

 

I look at this cover and it feels like something designed to attract the attention of the typical boy in fifth grade

 

what is it about this that you feel has that effect? the choice of guns and rage face? the composition? the vibrant colours?

 

come to think of it...what 40k covers wouldn't appeal to school boys?

[b1soul]

I think it's the angry Calgar face, bright colours, and all the pew pew pew going on

 

The variant linked by Knockagh is much more "40K":

 

https://i2.wp.com/graphicpolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WARHAMMERMC001_Calgar_VAR.jpg?ssl=1

 

EDIT: ...and the more cartoony art style

Edited August 8, 2020 by b1soul